Who are the 10 best linebackers in NFL history?

Times change in the NFL, but the one constant for a great defense is elite linebacker play, and nothing is more notable than having that force in the middle of the field.

The modern NFL linebacker has undergone some changes, with mobility more important than ever.

But truly elite linebackers could make an impact no matter the era or defense.

In league history, linebacker may well be the position with the most depth and has a seemingly endless list of elite players to choose from.

Here are the 10 best linebackers in NFL history.

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10. Derrick Thomas

One of the all-time great Kansas City Chiefs, Thomas played all 11 seasons of his NFL career in Kansas City, instilling fear in opposing quarterbacks. He finished with double-digit sack totals seven times in his career, including a league-leading 20 sacks in just his second NFL season (1990). Upon entering the NFL, Thomas made the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons, recording eight or more sacks in each of those seasons.

Ultimately, Thomas finished with at least seven sacks in every NFL season he played, made nine Pro Bowls and earned two first-team All-Pro selections. He also finished with 126.5 sacks, which ranks 26th all-time in NFL history.

9. Jack Lambert

Upon being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 1974 NFL Draft, Lambert became a stalwart of one of the fiercest defenses in NFL history. He won the starting middle linebacker job as a rookie and never relinquished it in his 11-year career, all of which he played with the Steelers. Lambert earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1974, and then made the Pro Bowl in each of the next nine seasons. Additionally, he was named first-team All-Pro in six seasons, and in 1976 he was awarded the AP Defensive Player of the Year award, when he led the league with eight fumble recoveries.

He finished with four Super Bowl rings, all earned during his first six years in the league.

8. Youth Cube

Playing an impressive 20 seasons in the NFL, Junior Seau had great longevity in the league. Most impressive, however, is that Seau missed only five games in his first 12 seasons. Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 1990, Seau played for the team from 1990 to 2002 before leaving to join the Miami Dolphins in 2003 and, eventually, his final stop, joining the New England Patriots for the final four years of his career (2006). -2009). Over the course of his career, he recorded 10 or more tackles in 64 different games, while also accumulating 56.5 sacks and grabbing 18 interceptions.

However, one of the most notable things was when he helped lead the Chargers to their only Super Bowl appearance in 1994, a season in which he recorded 155 tackles along with 5.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries.

7. Chuck Bednarik

One of the last true two-way players in the NFL, Bednarik contributed to the Philadelphia Eagles as a center on offense and a linebacker on defense during his 14-year career, all of which were spent in Philadelphia. In 1987, the Eagles made sure to celebrate him, retiring his jersey number 60 and naming him the best middle linebacker in team history. The most surprising thing was that, despite his physique, Bednarik was an Ironman and played in 169 of a possible 172 games in his career.

Over the course of his career, Bednarik amassed eight Pro Bowls, six first-team All-Pros and won two championships with the Eagles. He also earned the recognition of having a college award named after him, “The Bednarik Award,” which is given annually to the best defensive player in the sport.

6.Derrick Brooks

After starring at Florida in college, Brooks stayed in Florida and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing for the team throughout his storied 14-year career. Brooks started all but three games in his rookie season, then never missed a start for the rest of his 224-game career, a remarkable amount of durability.

In 2002, Brooks was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, led the league with 173 total tackles and also had five interceptions, three of them returned for touchdowns. His presence was a major reason for the team’s 2002 Super Bowl victory over the Raiders.

Brooks finished his career with 11 Pro Bowls, five first-team All-Pros and one Super Bowl title, while amassing 1,713 total tackles, 25 interceptions and 13.5 sacks.

5. Ted Hendricks

Hendricks, a 15-year veteran, served on the field for three different franchises. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Green Bay Packers for one season in 1974, and then spent the rest of his career with the Raiders franchise (1975-1983). Hendricks was truly a man who made things happen and to this day is tied for the NFL record with four safeties.

Over the course of his career, he started 215 consecutive regular-season games, appeared in eight Pro Bowls, won four championships, and was selected First or Second Team All-Pro six times in his career. He racked up 26 interceptions to go along with 61 sacks and 16 fumble recoveries.

4. Ham Jack

Ham, one of the faces of the Steelers defense over the years, played all 12 seasons with the Black and Gold. He and fellow Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis are the only two players in NFL history to finish their careers with at least 25 sacks, 30 interceptions and 20 fumble recoveries. Ham anchored Pittsburgh’s defense, winning four Super Bowls along the way.

When all was said and done, Ham compiled 32 interceptions, 21 fumble recoveries and 25.5 sacks. He also earned eight Pro Bowl selections and six first-team All-Pros, all in consecutive seasons.

3. Mike Singletary

Mike Singletary, a Chicago Bears legend, was drafted by the Bears in 1981 and played his entire 12-year career with the team. During his tenure in Chicago, he started 172 games and finished as the Bears’ first or second-leading tackler in each of his final 11 seasons with the team, accumulating 1,488 career tackles. All of that happened while he missed just two games, both in 1986.

Singletary won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, in 1985 and 1988, while also earning 10 Pro Bowls and eight first-team All-Pros. He helped the Bears win the 1985 Super Bowl, in which they held the Patriots to just 7 rushing yards.

2. Dick Butkus

Perhaps the most famous linebacker of all time, Dick Butkus played his entire nine-year career with the Chicago Bears, finally getting his number 51 retired by the team in 1994. Surprisingly, Butkus started his career with a bang, winning the top. -Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in his rookie season. He would make the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons and earn First Team All-Pro honors four more times in his career.

Butkus racked up 22 interceptions while also recovering 27 fumbles and demolishing opposing quarterbacks with 11 sacks. Additionally, he also had two seasons in which he earned a top-five finish for the league MVP award.

1. Ray Lewis

No player was more feared in his prime in midfield than Ray Lewis. Lewis was a tackling machine, leading the Baltimore Ravens in tackles in 12 of the 14 years he played for the team, the only team he played for. Beginning in 1998, the third season of Lewis’ career, the Ravens would not allow a 100-yard rusher until the 2002 season, a hallmark of Baltimore’s exceptional run defense. Additionally, Lewis also had a nose for the ball, hauling in 31 interceptions in his career, fifth-most among linebackers all-time.

At the time of his retirement, Lewis held the Ravens’ team records for seasons played (17), career games (228), and opponent fumble recoveries (20), while also recording the most tackles (2,643) and held the single-season record for most tackles (225). His storybook career came to an end in 2012 when the team won its second Super Bowl.

Honorable mentions:

• Chuck Howley
• Lucas Kuechly
• Brian Urlacher
• Bill George
• Joe Schmidt
• Ray Nitschke

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